Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has insisted Roman Abramovich is "too intelligent" to try to force him to play Fernando Torres.

Rumours persist the £50million signing of Torres was one of Abramovich's whims, something Ancelotti has always denied. But the idea gathered momentum when - despite completely outshining his strike partner - Didier Drogba was substituted instead of the Spaniard in Wednesday night's Champions League quarter-final first-leg defeat to Manchester United.

Asked if he feared Abramovich's reaction were he to leave Torres out on Tuesday, the Italian said: "No, I never thought that. Roman's so intelligent, he'd never ask me not to do this."

He added: "Fernando might not start against United (for the second-leg), of course.

"I have to choose the players, not comparing the players with the money the club paid for them.

"I have to choose the line-up looking at the training sessions, the condition of the players and the spirit. Fernando knows this very well."

Torres has now gone more than 12 hours without scoring, all but two of those in a Chelsea shirt. It has led to obvious comparisons with Andriy Shevchenko, another striker reportedly signed at Abramovich's behest who proved to be an expensive flop.

Ancelotti, who sold Shevchenko to Chelsea while in charge at AC Milan, refused to be drawn on the similarities and claimed everyone associated with the club was willing Torres to come good.

"As soon as he scores his first goal, it will be like every Chelsea fan will have scored," he said.

"Don't judge a player by the money he earns or that the club paid for the transfer. Judge by his behaviour on the pitch. And he has fantastic behaviour here now, as a worker, not just to score."